Any poll pact will be decided by Jaya: Panneerselvam

AIADMK today said any poll alliance would be decided by its supremo Jayalalithaa after a CPI-M MLA questioned the ruling party in the Tamil Nadu assembly whether it was eying a tie-up with BJP.
CPI(M) legislator A Soundararajan took a swipe at the Centre over "non-release" of further rain relief financial aid and the fishermen issue, saying the BJP-led NDA government had discriminated against Tamil Nadu.
Against such a background, he queried why a condemnatory shade against the Centre could not be found in the Governor's address.
"What is the politics behind this, what is the need? Is it to join hands with BJP for election," he asked.

This prompted Leader of the House and Finance Minister O Panneerselvam to retort: "You cannot say anything by dreaming...Alliance will be decided by our party chief and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa."
MMK MLA MH Jawahirullah said condemnatory references against the Centre could be found in the Governor's address.

Panneerselvam also said the four-party People's Welfare Front (PWF), of which the Left parties are constituents, would draw a blank in the coming assembly elections.
Vaiko's MDMK, CPI (M), CPI and VCK are the constituents of the PWF.
Earlier in the day also, AIADMK made light of the Vaiko-led combine with two other ministers poohpoohing its ambitions of capturing power in the coming state elections.

Higher Education Minister P Palaniappan described as "the biggest joke of 2016" the assertion by senior CPI(M) leader and MLA K Balabarathy that the bloc will wrest power in the assembly elections, due in a few months.
"Balabarathy's assertion is the biggest joke of 2016," he said during a discussion where the CPI(M) MLA expressed confidence that PWF will sweep the polls.
Later, Handloom Minister S Gokular Indira wondered if "PWF will even exist till the polls".
AIADMK and CPI(M) had contested the 2011 elections as allies but later parted ways.